Happy 5th Anniversary to the PA Academic Residency Program!

By Ella Rosner and Ryan Clark
CHS Contributors

On Friday, Sept. 12, the UK College of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Studies Department celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Academic Residency Program and honored the nine PAs in the program.

The residency program, created directly in response to the workforce needs of our communities throughout Kentucky for more highly trained clinician-leaders in various specialties, is an intensive, 12-month experience in clinical medicine. Learning happens through supervised clinical patient experiences, specialty-focused didactics, simulation, grand rounds and conferences. The program partners with clinical departments in academic and community hospitals across the state, and provides educational offerings in several medical and surgical specialties.

“I hope that you will use your privilege and use your position to advocate for those who are underserved in our state and who need you,” said Virginia Valentin, DrPH, PA-C, the Daus Family Endowed Professor of Physician Assistant Studies and chair of the PA Department at the University of Kentucky.

“Of the 2,000-plus PAs here in the commonwealth and the 190,000-plus PAs across the United States, the nine of you represent the cream of the crop,” said Don Lloyd II, president and CEO of UK St. Claire HealthCare. “The nine PA residents honored tonight are the elite of your profession as clinicians and also as leaders. You did not have to pursue a residency, but rather you chose to do so to excel. But most importantly, you chose to serve your patients at the highest standard of care possible in your chosen medical specialty.”

“The 12 months is rigorous,” said Ryan Hunton, DHSC, PA-C and Program Director for the Academic Residency Program. “Our five pillars include clinical excellence, didactic learning, teaching, research and advocacy. Our residents this year worked an average of 50 hours a week, ranging from 44-55. They logged 7,200 cases, 585 surgical first assists, 186 endotracheal intubations, 88 central lines, 78 heart lines, 67 joint injections, 80 muscular skeletal trigger point injections, and 25 occipital nerve blocks, among other procedures.”
 

RESIDENTS

Emily Burchette

UKHC Critical Care
 

James Martin III

UKHC Critical Care 
 

Heidi Adams

UK St. Claire Hospital Medicine/Critical Care 
 

Jayleigh Amstutz

UK St. Claire Hospital Medicine/Critical Care 
 

Dennis Zelenak

UKHC Neurology 
 

Jessica Lauren Gowin

Baptist Health Louisville General Surgery 
 

Darius Morehead

UKHC Ortho Surgery 
 

Noah Gadd

UKHC Trauma Surgery 
 

Cora McCully

St. Elizabeth General Surgery